Fuse panel



April 22, 1941. 1... w. COLE FUSE PANEL Filed May 5, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l r O t n e D n 3 (Ittorneg L. w. COLE April 22, 1941.

FUSE PANEL Filed May 5, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Snventbr (Ittorneg Lou/s M COLE Patented Apr. 22, 1941 FUSE PANEL Louis W. Cole, New York, N. Y., assignor to Cole Electric Products 00., 1210., Long Island City,

Application May 5, 1939, Serial N 0. 271,967

18 Claims.

This invention relates to panels and, more particularly, to fuse panels. More specifically, the invention is concerned with a fuse block of the type which is provided with screw shell sockets adapted to receive fuses of the screw-plug type.

Che object of the invention is to provide a fuse panel comprising fuse shell sockets, buses, and branch conductors all secured together without screws or other separate fastening devices.

A more specific. object of the invention in this connection is to provide a fuse panel having the fuse shell sockets, the buses and the branch conductors all secured together in the panel block by spring action of certain parts on other parts.

A. further object of the invention is to provide a fuse panel comprising an insulation block constructed and arranged so that all the electrically conducting parts are assembled with the block by inserting said conducting parts from the top or sides of the block, none of said parts being inserted from the bottom of the block, whereby to eliminate openings at the bottom of the block which necessitate sealing or insulation compounds. By thus eliminating openings which must be sealed at the bottom of the block, the overall height of the panel can be kept down to a minimum. In this connection it will be understood that if the electrically conducting parts are spaced sufficiently from the back of the block, sealing or insulating compounds in the openings which might be provided at the back of the block would be unnecessary.

A further object of the invention is to secure the electrically conducting parts, and particularly the fuse sockets and the buses, in such manner that the sockets are prevented from turning in the block openings and making contact with the buses.

The above objects of the invention and other objects thereof, as might hereinafter appear, will be fully understood from the following descrip tion considered with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view of a fuse panel embodying the invention, parts of one of the buses and of one of the insulation disks being cut away for illustration purposes;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View, on a larger scale, on the line 2-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, also on a larger scale, on the line .-'i3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view on a larger 5' scale, of a portion of the insulation block illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Figs. 6 and '7 are views in elevation, taken at right angles to each other, of a fuse socket;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a branch conductor;

Fig. 9 is a more or less diagrammatic View showing the branch conductor in side elevation and illustrating the relation of said branch conductor to a bus associated therewith;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan View of the fuse panel, illustrating a, modification;

Fig. 11 is a. sectional View on the line H-ll of Fig. 10.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the fuse panel made in accordance with the preferred form of the invention comprises a molded one piece block In of any suitable insulation material such as, for example, porcelain or Bakelite. As here shown, the panel is a four circuit panel but, of course, may be larger or smaller for use with more than four circuits or with less than four circuits, respectively, as may be desired. As the block is illustrated as a four circuit block it is provided with four recesses or top openings I2 in which the fuse shells M are positioned. Said block is also provided with aligned side openings It, i8, 25] and 22 for the insertion of the bus conductor strip or bar 24, there being two sets of aligned side openings l5, l3, 2%] and 22, one set for each bus bar 24, and there being one bus bar 24 common to two fuse shells I i. By reference to Figs. 1 and. 2 it will be observed that bus 24 extends through aligned openings 26 in each of the companion fuse shells l4.

Block H] is also provided in the wall of each recess [2 adjacent the bottom wall 28 of said recess with a side opening 35, for the insertion of the branch conductor bar or strip 32 into each socket, each of the latter having an opening 34 through which said branch conductor is inserted into said socket. It will be observed that openings 30 and 34 are at right angles to openings I6, I8, 20 and 22 in the block I6 and. to the socket opening 26 respectively. The bottom 28 of each recess l2 in block [0 is provided with a transverse U-shaped groove 36 (Fig. 2), and each fuse socket M has its bottom wall provided with a U-shaped projection 38 which is seated in said groove, the depth of the groove 36 and of the projection 38 permitting the bottom portions of each socket shell M at opposite sides of the projection to seat on the inner surface of bottom wall 28 at the sides of groove 38. It will be noted that the projections 36 of socket shells l4 provide inner transverse grooves in which the companion branch conductors 32 are positioned and that the latter extend at right angles to the companion bus bars. An insulation disk 40 is positioned in each socket shell I4 between branch conductor 32 and the portion of the companion bus bar 24 in said socket shell, whereby said branch and bus conductors are insulated from eachother. Buses 24 are insulated from their companion socket shells by reason of the fact that openings 26 through which the buses extend are larger than said buses.

As hereinbefore indicated an important feature of the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of the panel whereby the electrically conducting parts are secured in position in the insulation block 10 without screws or other separate fastening devices. The manner in which this is accomplished is in part apparent from the above description and will now be described more fully and in more detail. Thus, by reference to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 2, it will be observed that bus 24, when in position in the block, engages the edge portions 42 adjacent the opening [6, the intermediate portions 44 of the block between openings 18 and 20, and the edge portion 46 of the block adjacent opening 22. Each bus 24 is thus held against the block portions 42, 44, and 46 by the companion conductor 32 which, when said branch conductors are inserted in position, exert pressure on said buses, respectively, for holding the latter in tight frictional engagement with said portions of block 10 adjacent said side openings therein.

being accomplished by providing each branch conductor 32 with an upwardly bowed or arcuate portion 48, as illustrated in Fig. 9. The bowed portion 48 of branch conductor 32 is located so that it is positioned centrally of the socket and centrally of the part of the bus positioned therein. When the electrically conducting parts are in final assembled relation, said bowed portion is almost flat, but may be sufficient to bow the part of the companion bus which is within the companion socket shell, this being desirable to some 4 extent for improving the connection of the center contact of the block fuse with said portion of the bus bar, By way of example merely, and not by limitation, it may be stated that when branch conductor 32 is 1; of an inch thick it is bowed s, of an inch, that is, the distance between the concave surface conductor 32 from the plane of the opposed ends of said conductor is n 2 of an inch. If desired, the portion of the bus within the socket shell may be bowed toward the open end of the shell, that is, toward the top of the block. It will be observed that the inner end of each branch conductor 32 has an arcuate edge 50 which engage the inner surface of the wall portion of the companion fuse shell l4 opposite opening 34 therein.

The outer end of branch conductor 32 is provided with a threaded opening 52 for the reception of a binding screw 54 and with prongs 56 for holding the connecting wire in position about the shank of said screw. Block has outer edge portions 58 of reduced thickness at each side of the block, said portions at each side of the block being separated by an integrally formed barrier 60, The upper surface of each portion 58 is provided with a recess 64 (Figs. 4 and in which the outer end portion of the branch conductor 32 is seated. Said recess 64 has outer end portions 66 which engage the outer end of conductor 32 adjacent the prong portions 56 thereof for preventing unintended displacement of said conductor 32 outwardly of the companion fuse shell M. The recess portion 64 of fuse block In is provided with a recess 68 for the reception of the shank of screw 54. Said recess is completely closed except at its top, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Instead of providing a recess for preventing outward movement of a branch conductor 32, the latter may be provided with a struck-out prong 32a, as illustrated in Figs. and 11, in position to engage the edge 3% of block it adjacent opening therein.

When bus bar 24 is in position, being clamped in block ill by the spring action of the companion branch conductor 32, the inner end of said bar preferably engages the Portion 10 of block I!) adjacent opening 22, The outer end of the bar is provided with a threaded opening 12 for the binding screw 14 and with prongs T5 for holding the connecting wire about the shank of the screw. The edge portion 18 of block ID in the side thereof through which'buses 24 are inserted is of reduced thickness to permit insertion of said buses, and there is an integral barrier formed in the block at said edge portion. The reduced portion 18 of block ID is provided with recesses 82 for the shanks of binding screws 14. The opposite side edge portion 84 of block I0 is also of reduced thickness for the mounting thereon of the neutral terminal bar 86 secured in position in any suitable way as by screws 81. Said edge portion 84 is provided with recesses 88 one for each of the binding screws 9U Block ID is provided with non-circular openings 92 extending completely therethrough at diagonally opposite corners of the block; whereby the block can be mounted adjustably on bars of non-circular cross section. Also block H) is provided with circular holes 94 extending therethrough at the diagonally opposite corners thereof for the passage of fastening screws when the latter are used for securing the block in position.

Thus it is seen that the fuse panel herein disclosed is well adapted to accomplish the several objects of the present invention. In particular,

it will be noted that there is no conducting part which extends below the bottoms of the fuse shell recesses in said block; that all of the recesses for the binding screws are closed by integral molded portions of the block so that no sealing or insulation compound is necessary; and that the fuse shells and branch and bus conductors are securely held in the block without screws or other separate fastening device Further it will be observed that by reason of the absence of such fastening device it is unnecessary to provide holes therefor in the bottom of the block for the passage of fastening elements, and that this eliminates the necessity for sealing or insulation compound and at the same time makes it possible to keep down the overall height of the block to a minimum. It will be understood, however, that while I have shown and described the preferred form of the invention, the latter may be embodied otherwise than as here shown and that in the preferred embodiment herein disclosed certain changes in the details of constructio.n1and arrangement of parts may be made withoutdeparting from the invention. Therefore, :I .do not wish to be limited by the description and illustrations .or in any other respect except as may be required by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the class described comprising an insulation block having an opening therein, a socket shell in said opening, said :block also having two openings therein communicating with said first opening transversely thereof, said two openings being displaced peripherally of .saidfirst opening, and a conductor member extending through each of said two openings into said shell, one of said conductor members having an electrical connection with said shell, and the other of said conductor members being insulated from said shell and said one conductor member, one of said conductor members being clamped in position in said block in said opening therefor by the other of said conductor members, said shell being held stationary in said first mentioned block opening solely by said conductor members when the latter are in said clamping relation,

2. A device of the class described comprising an insulation block having an opening therein, a socket shell in said opening, said block also having two openings therein communicating with said first opening transversely thereof, said two openings being displaced peripherally of said first opening, and a conductor member extending through each of said two openings into said shell, one of said conductor members having an electrical connection with said shell, and the other of said conductor members being insulated from said shell and said one conductor member, one of said conductor members being clamped in position in said block in said opening therefor by the other of said conductor members, said shell having an end wall having a portion thereof defining a groove extending transversely of the shell axis, one of said conductor members engaging said shell in said groove, the other of said conductor members extending across said groove adjacent said end wall, said shell being held stationary in said first mentioned block opening solely by said conductor members when the latter are in said clamping relation.

3. A device of the class described comprising an insulation block having an opening therein, a socket shell in said opening, said block also having two openings therein communicating with said first opening transversely thereof, said two openings being displaced peripherally of said first opening, and a conductor member extending through each of said twoopenings into said-shell, one of said conductor members having an electrical connection with said shell in clamped relation therewith, and the other of said conductor members engaging said block and being insulated from said shell and said one conductor member, one of said conductor members being held in said clamped relation solely by the other of said conductor members and said engagement of said other conductor member with the block.

4. A device of the class described comprising an insulation block having an opening therein, a socket shell in said opening, said block also having two openings therein communicating with said first opening transversely thereof, said two openings being displaced peripherally of said first opening, and a conductor member extending througheach .ofsaid two openings into said shell, one of said conductor members having an electrical connection with said shell in clamped relation therewith, and the other of said conductor members engagingsaid block and being insulated from said shell and said one conductor member, one ofsaidconductor members and said shellbeing clamped in position in said block, in said opening therefor solely by the other of said conductor members and said engagement of said other conductormember with the block.

5. A device of the class described comprising an insulation block having an opening therein, a socket shell in said opening, said block also having two openings therein communicating with said first opening transversely thereof, said two openings being displaced peripherally of saidfirst opening, and a conductor member extending through each of said two openings into said shell, one of said conductor members having an electrical connection with said shell and engaging the inner end thereof, and the other of said conductor members being insulated from said shell and said one conductor member and extending across the latter in clamping relation therewith in the shell in engagement with said block at points spaced from the inner end of the shell axially thereof, said conductor members being clamped in position in said block, in said opening therefor, by said engagement of said first mentioned conductor member with said end of the shell and by the engagement of said other conductor member with said block.

6. A device of the class described comprising an insulation block provided with an opening having a closed end, a groove formed in said closed end and extending transversely of said opening, a socket shell seated in said opening and having an end provided with a projecting portion seated in said groove whereby said shell is prevented from turning in said opening, and conductor members extending into said shell adjacent said end thereof, one of said conductor members being electrically insulated from said shell and from the other of said conductors, said other conductor being electrically connected to said socket shell.

7. Adevice of the class described comprising an-insulation block provided with an opening having a closed end, a groove formed in said closed end and extending transversely of said opening, a socket shell seated in said opening, and having an end provided with a projecting portion seated in said groove whereby said shell is prevented from turning in said opening, said projecting portion defining a groove in said shell, said shell having an opening therethrough at one end of said groove therein and a second opening therethrough adjacent said grooved end but displaced from said first opening peripherally of the shell, a conductor member extending through said first opening in the shell and engaging'thellatter in said groove therein, and a second conductor member extending into said :shell through said second opening therein and insulated from said shell and from said first conductor member.

8. A device of the class described comprising an insulation block provided with an opening having a closed end, a groove formed in said closed end and extending transversely of said projecting portion defining a groove in' said shell, said shell having an opening therethrough at one end of said groove therein and a second opening therethrough adjacent said grooved end but displaced from said first opening peripherally of the shell, a conductor member extending through said first opening in the shell and engaging the latter in said groove therein, and a second conductor member extending into said shell through said second opening therein and insulated from said shell and from said first conductor member, one of said conductor members clamping the other conductor member in said block.

9. A device of the class described comprising an insulation block having a plurality of spaced openings therein, a socket shell in each of said openings, said block also having aligned openings extending transversely of said first mentioned openings, a conductor member extending through said aligned openings into said first mentioned openings, said insulation block also having spaced openings each of which communi cates with one of said first mentioned openings transversely thereof and peripherally displaced from one of said aligned openings, and spaced conductor members extending through said spaced openings, respectively, into said first mentioned openings and into said shells, respectively,

and clamping said shells against parts of said block, said last mentioned conductor members being insulated from said first mentioned conductor members and clamping the latter in position in said block in said aligned openings therein, each one of said spaced conductor members and said first mentioned conductor members constituting insulated companion conductor members for each of said socket shells, respeotively, one of said companion conductor members being insulated from its companion socket shell and the other of said companion conductor members being electrically connected with its companion socket shell.

10. A device of the class described comprising an insulation block having a plurality of spaced openings therein, a socket shell in each of said openings, said block also having aligned openings extending transversely of said first mentioned openings, a conductor member extending through said aligned openings into said first mentioned openings, said insulation block also having spaced openings each of which communicates with one of said first mentioned openings transversely thereof and peripherally displaced from one of said aligned openings, and spaced conductor members extending through said spaced openings, respectively, into said first mentioned openlugs and into said shells, respectively, said last mentioned conductor members being insulated from said first mentioned conductor members and clamping the latter in position in said block in said aligned openings therein, each one of said spaced conductor members and said first mentioned conductor members constituting insulated companion conductor members for each of said socket shells, respectively, one of said companion conductor members being insulated from its companion socket shell and the other of said companion conductor members being electrically connected with its companion socket shell, said block having a groove at one end of each of said first mentioned openings in the block, and each of said shells having a projection fitted into a companion groove in said block to prevent turning of the shells in said openings in the block, the bottom of said shell being clamped against a part of said block.

11. A device of the class described comprising an insulation block having a plurality of spaced openings therein, a socket shell in each of said openings, said block also having aligned openings extending transversely of said first mentioned openings, a conductor member extending through said aligned openings into said first mentioned openings, said insulation block also having spaced openings each of which communicates with one of said first mentioned openings transversely thereof and peripherally displaced from one of said aligned openings, and spaced conductor members extending through said spaced openings, respectively, into said first mentioned openings and into said shells, respectively, said last mentioned conductor members being insulated from said first mentioned conductor members and clamping the latter in position in said block in said aligned openings therein, each one of said spaced conductor members and said first mentioned conductor members constituting insulated companion conductor members for each of said socket shells, respectively, one of said companion conductor members being insulated from its companion socket shell and the other of said companion conductor members being electrically connected with its companion socket shell, said socket shell being clamped against a part of said block, and means for preventing said socket shells from turning in said openings in the block.

12. A device of the class described comprising an insulation block having an opening therein, a socket shell in said opening, said block also having two openings therein communicating with said first opening transversely thereof, said two openings being displaced peripherally of said first opening, and a conductor member extending through each of said two openings into said shell, one of said conductor members having an electrical connection with said shell, and the other of said conductor members being insulated from said shell and said one conductor member, said shell being clamped against a part of said block, one of said conductor members being clamped in position in said block in said opening therefor by the other of said conductor mem bers, and means for preventing said socket shell from turning in said opening in the block.

13. A device of the class described comprising an insulation block having an opening therein, a socket shell in said opening, said block also having two openings therein communicating with said first opening transversely thereof, said two openings being displaced peripherally of said first opening, and a conductor member extending through each of said two openings into said shell, one of said conductor members having an electrical connection with said shell, and the other of said conductor members being insulated from said shell and said one conductor member, said shell being clamped against a part of said block by one of said conductors, and one of said conductors resiliently clamping the other of said conductor members against a part of said block.

14. A device of the class described comprising an insulation block having an opening therein, a socket. shell in said opening, said block also having two openings therein communicating with said first opening transversely thereof, said two openings being displaced peripherally of said first opening, and a conductor member extending through each of said two openings into said shell,

one of said conductor members having an electrical connection with said shell, and the other of said conductor members being insulated from said shell and said one conductor member, said block having a groove at one end of said first mentioned block opening and extendin transversely of the latter, said shell having an end wall provided with a projection seated in said groove, said projection defining a groove in said end of the shell extending transversely of the shell axis, one of said conductor members engaging said shell in said groove, the other of said conductor members extending across said groove adjacent said end wall.

15. A device of the class described comprising an insulation block having an opening therein, a socket shell in said opening, said block also having two openings therein communicating with said first opening transversely thereof, said two openings being displaced peripherally of said first opening, and a conductor member extending through each of said two openings into said shell, one of said conductor members having an electrical connection with said shell, and the other of said conductor members being insulated from said shell and said one conductor member, said block having a groove at one end of said first mentioned block opening and extending transversely of the latter, said shell having an end wall provided with a projection seated in said groove,

said projection defining a groove in said end of the shell extending transversely of the shell axis, one of said conductor members engaging said shell in said groove, the other of said conductor members extending across said groove adjacent said block, said conductor strips being constructed and arranged to clamp said imier end of said socket shell on said part of said insulation block, one of said conductor strips engaging the inner end of the shell internally thereof, and another of said conductor strips engaging said one conductor strip in said shell and being held in clamping relation with the latter by engagement with said insulation block.

17. A device of the class described comprising an insulation block having an opening therein, a socket shell having its inner end seated on a part of said block, and conductor strips associated with said socket shell and extending therein in said block, said conductor strips being constructed and arranged to clamp said inner end of said socket shell on said part of said insulation block, one of said conductor strips engaging the insulation block and bearing on the other conductor strip in insulated relation thereto for clamping the same in position in said block, said one of the conductor strips being held in said clamping relation solely by said engagement thereof with said insulation block.

18. A device of the class described comprising an insulation block having an opening therein, a socket shell having its inner end seated on a part of said block, and conductor strips associated with said socket shell and extending therein in said block, said conductor strips being constructed and arranged to clamp said inner end of said socket shell on said part of said insulation block, one of said conductor strips engaging the inner end of the shell internally thereof, and another of said conductor strips engaging said one conductor strip in said shell and being held in clamping relation with the latter by engagement with said insulation black, one of said conductor strips having an initially bowed portion for resiliently clamping the other conductor strip in position in said block.

LOUIS W. COLE. 

